Spring-biased pivoted closure



Oct. 3, 1950 F. v. ETTLINGER, JR 2,524,191

SPRING-BIASED PIVOTED CLOSURE Filed June l5, 1947 Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING-BIASED PIV OTED CLOSURE Fred V. Ettlinger, Jr., Port Richmond, N. Y.

Application June 13, 1947, Serial No. 754,547

This invention relates to improvements in combined display boxes and packing containers having a hinged lid, and more particularly, to boxes which may serve the dual purpose of a container for merchandise, when closed, and as a display support for exhibiting the merchandise when the lid is open or partially open.

'I'hese containers or display boxes are used by manufacturers of candy, cosmetics, silverware, fountain pens, etc. for packaging either single items or sets. The manufacturer distributes same to retailers who in turn sell the complete package to the consumer.

These containers or boxes are also purchased empty by retailers and department stores from the box manufacturer. They in turn use them to box the article or set when a sale is made over the counter and also use them in show windows or on counters to display merchandise. Such as jewelry, stationary, wearing apparel, etc.

The general complaint among both retailers and manufacturers has been that they could not use a packaging container or gift box for display purposes without the use of an outside` prop or support such as pins, etc. Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a box or container with the double feature and serving a dual purpose, adaptable for, either or both, display or packaging. Or in other words, a box or container normally used for packaging, but with an additional feature so that now it can be used for display purposes also.

In boxes of this type, it is desirable to Vary the angle at which the lid is held open in order to display more advantageously the contents thereof due to lighting effects, angle from which the article is viewed, etc. The common practice heretofore has been to use pins, toothpicks or the like of various lengths as a prop or support interposed between the lid and the base in order to hold the lid open at the desired angle.

Likewise heretofore boxes of this nature have been provided with expensive and intricate clips coasting either with the hinge or with the lid and base to hold .the box fully open or fully closed, but such clips are not designed to, and do not, hold the lid in any intermediate positions between fully open and fully closed.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a display box a hinged lid and which isheld fully open, closed or in any intermediate position therebetween without the use of unsightly pins or props and without the use of an intricate or expensive clip.

Another object of this invention is to lprovide a display box with a hinged lid that is held in any intermediate position between open and closed, which may be manufactured Very economically and contains a minimum number of parts.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and is considered in connection with the accompanying claims and drawings wherein is illustrated one embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the display box embodied in this invention with the lid fully open so as to show the rigid tongue which holds the lid in its intermediate open-closed position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the display box embodied in this invention with the lid partially closed, showing the rigid tongue bearing against the chamber portion of the base.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2, slightly enlarged to show the lid, hinge, holding device, and their coacting relation to each other.

Fig. 4 is a similar cross sectional view of the box with the lid completely closed.

Referring now to the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a base or bottom section of a conventional display box. The bottom section 5 has a lid 6 hinged to the same, with a strip or collar l entirely surrounding the top portion thereof, and over which collar 'l the lower edges 8 0f the lid 6 fit snugly when the box is closed. A hinge 9, shown as consisting of a strip of cloth, paperor other flexible material, and extending the length 0f both the lid E and the base 5 connects the lid to the base.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention as illustrated, the box is of stiff paper, cardboard or the like, but it is to be understood that the box may be made in whole or in part of wood, metal, plastic, or other` suitable material, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The box may be lined with a Sateen or other ornamental or cushioning covering lll more advantageously to set off the merchandise under display.

. Afnxed to the back or hinge edge H, and 1ntermediate the ends of the `lid 6, is a rigidor substantially rigid tongue I2, which maybe made of paper, plastic, composition material or metal as desired. The tongue l2 extends slightly below the lower edgeof the back H of the box lid 6, in closed position, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a suflicient distance so as to contact the outside face I3 of the back side of the collar 'I in a frictional or sliding cam action.

The tongue I2 may be glued or otherwise fastened onto the back II of the lid edge 6, as desired, depending upon the material used in the construction of the box.

The length which the tongue l2 may extend below the back II of the lid in closed position, is not necessarily critical but should be of sufficient length so as to engage firmly the surfaee I3 of the back of the collar 1, but should not extend sufficiently so as to cause undue distortion of the rear section of the basel portion 5. From the foregoing, it will be seen that as the rigid tongue i2 is of the proper length and rigidity, it will bear against the outside back surface I3 of the collar 'l in such a frictional engagement as to hold gently but firmly the lid 6 in any position desired, intermediate, openor closed.

While I have shown andv described the tongue I2 as being located approximately in the middle of the back edge I I of the lid E', and it is shown to be only a fraction of the length of the lid, itis to be understood that the tongue may be of any length desired and may be positioned at any place along the rear edge II of the lid where it will have the desired effective action. Furthermore, 'a plurality of these rigid tongues I2 could be affixed to the lid without departing from the l spirit of this invention. The thickness of the tongue should be only sufficient to give it the rigidity desired.

While the botto-m portion 5 of the box is shown as havingY a collar 'I therein, it is to be understood that the principle involved in my invention could be carried out equally as well if the collar 'I were removed and' a yieldable insert were substituted for the back side I3 of the shoulder 'I. The insert would be glued or otherwise fastened at the end or base to the bottom portion 5 of the box.

The operation of any inventionA can best be understood by referring to the drawings. In Fig. 1, I have shown the lid opened just a little wider than usual in order to clearly show the tongue I2. By comparing Fig. 1 with Fig. 3 ity will be seen that the tongue I2 extends from the back edge II of the lid about the same distance that the collar I extends above the base section 5 of the box. When the lid 6 is opened, as shown in Fig. 1, the tongue I2 does not bear against the surface I3 of the collar '1. But if the rlid is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the tongue begins to bear against the surface I3 of the collar 1, and because the lid is hinged at 9, the tongue will move in an arc, thus having a cam action against the surface I3 causing the same to be distorted slightly, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

As the lid continues to be moved from an open to a closed position, the tongue I2, swinging in its arc, slides downward along the surface I3, distending this surface less and less as the lid closes until the lid is completely closed, as shown in Fig. 4'. In this position, the tongue I2 extends downwardly into a space I4 provided between the shoulder I and the base 5 of the box. As will be seen from the above explanation, the friction of' the tongue I2 against the surface I3 of the shoulder 'I is just sufficient to hold theA lid in any desired position.

ItV is to be understood that other forms of boxes, materials, linings and the like may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Moreover, while the invention has been illustrated in one embodiment, modifications and changes may be made therein, except as specified in the claims.

I claim:

1. A combined packaging container and display box comprising a polygonal base member having a bottom with upstanding side walls including a back wall, a collar extending around the inside of said side walls and protruding thereabove, said collar being securely aiixed to some of the side walls and having a yieldable side adjacent the back wall, a lid member including a polygonal top having side walls therearound, a hinge attaching one of the side walls of said lid to the back side wall of the base member, said hinge being carried upon the lid adjacent the edge of the side wall and upon the bottom adjacent the edge of said back wall and positioned below the top of said collar, a flat rigid tongue rigidly secured to and extending from the inside of the side wallv 0f the lid adjacent the hinge, the extending edge of said tongue abutting in frictional engagement against the outside of the yieldable side of the collar above the hinge and the back of said box when the lid is open and abutting in frictional engagement against the outside of the yieldable side of the collar between the back and said side adjacent said hinge when the lid is closed.

2. A combined packaging container and display box comprising a polygonal base member having a bottom with upstanding, side walls including a baci; wall, a collar extending around the inside of said side Walls andprotruding thereabove, said collar being securely aflixed to all of the sides except that portion which is adjacent the back wall; and which is free and unsecured, said portion of the collar adjacent, the back wall being anchored to the bottom of said box substantially throughout its length, said portion being yieldable with respect to theA back wall, a iid member including la polygonal top having side walls thereu around, avrhinge attaching one of the sidewalls yof said` lid to the backv sidewall ofl the base member, saidhinge being carried upon the lid adjacent-'the edge of the Side wall and upon the bottom adjacent: the edge of said back wall and positioned,V below the top of said. collar, a fiat rigid `tongue rigidly secured to and extending from the inside of the side wall of theY lid adjan cent the hinge, the extending edge of said tongue abutting in frictional engagement against the outside back of the yieldiable, portion of the collar above the hinge andthe back of said box when the lid open and abutting in frictionai engagement against the outside back of the yieldable portion of they collar between the back wall and said yieldable portion adjacent said hinge when the lid is closed.

FRED V. ETTLINGER, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,161,166 Sundee Nov. 23, 1915 V1,274,543 Babbitt Sept. 2, 1930 1,912,297 Myers May 30, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 310,618 Great Britain May 2, 1929 i28,819 Great Britain May 20, 1935 

